Selecting a new PR agency is a major challenge for Rome 2024 chairman Luca Cordero di Montezemolo (right), pictured here with officials including Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi ©Getty Images

A shortlist of "three to four" consultancy companies have been selected by Rome 2024 to replace Milltown Partners as their international advisors, insidethegames has been told, with a final decision expected within the next week. 

London-based Milltown's contract expired earlier this month, and a mutual decision was taken not to renew it.

This is due to the impending departure of director David Bond, the former sports editor of the BBC and Daily Telegraph, who is expected to return to journalism later this year.

Bond had been the key Milltown official liaising with the Italian bid team and it was ultimately decided that the company would be unable to continue that role without him.

Rome 2024 communications director Fabio Guadagnini claimed today that there was "nothing negative" about the departure but that they are prioritising finding a replacement "as soon as possible".

"We have a few, three to four, candidates, and a meeting will take place with [Rome 2024 chairman] Luca Cordero di Montezemolo and a decision will be made soon," he told insidethegames.

"We have some names in the frame but we are also looking outside the box."

Milltown Partners and Rome 2024 agreed not to extend the contract after former BBC and Daily Telegraph sports editor David Bond announced plans to leave the company and return to journalism ©Getty Images
Milltown Partners and Rome 2024 agreed not to extend the contract after former BBC and Daily Telegraph sports editor David Bond announced plans to leave the company and return to journalism ©Getty Images

Many of the most established Olympic bidding consultancies are already taken, with Paris having hired British-based Vero Communications, who worked on successful bids for Rio 2016 and Pyeongchang 2018, and Seven46, whose founder Nick Varley worked for London 2012, Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020.

Jon Tibbs Associates, another British company who worked on Sochi 2014, are among those working for Los Angeles along with United States-based Teneo Sports, whose managing director Terrence Burns served on winning bids from Beijing 2008, Vancouver 2010, Sochi 2014 and Pyeongchang 2018.

Budapest 2024 have employed Event Knowledge Services, the firm led by Australian Craig McLatchey, who was awarded the Gold Olympic Rings for his role within Sydney 2000.

Weber Shandwick, the US-based PR giants who have enjoyed recent bidding success when working for Sochi 2014, Tokyo 2020 and Beijing 2022, are one major company yet to commit to a bid.

Rome could, however, opt for a lesser-known firm once again, as they did when they appointment Milltown, a company founded by Paddy Haverson, the former director of communications for Prince Charles and Manchester United. 

The International Olympic Committee is due to select a host city for the 2024 Olympics and Paralympic at its Session in Lima in September 2017.